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Acer psuedoplatanus
__TOC__ ''Acer pseudoplatanus ''' ' Identification ---- Leaf Opposite arrangement, palmate, 5 lobes. Finely toothed margin, 10-25cm in length. Petiole is 5-15cm in length, and often red in colour. Leaves have a leathery texture, with clearly raised veins on the underside. Bud Large, plump buds remain green in the winter, opposite arrangement. Bark Smooth grey bark, turning plated at maturity with scales often appearing flaky. Flower Small yellow flowers, in groups of 20-50 on a pendulous raceme. Flowering occurs in April. Fruit 5-10mm seeds paired together in winged samaras, green in colour; turning brown in Autumn. Form Broad domed crown, reaches a height of 20-35m at maturity. Often wider than it is tall in open environments. Cultivars and varieties Acer pseudoplatanus 'Brilliantassimum' – Pink leaves in spring, golden and orange autumn colours Acer pseudoplatanus Esj Sybset – Orange emergent leaves, summer leaves green with pink patches, purple underside. Acer pseudoplatanus Leopoldii – Yellow and cream variegation. Acer pseudoplatanus Prince Camille de Rohan – Pastel green variegated leaves. Acer pseudoplatanus Prinz Handjery – Pink spring leaves, purple undersides in summer. Acer pseudoplatanus Puget Pink – Pink leaf emergence,yellow and orange in Autumn. Acer pseudoplatanus Simon Louis Freres – Slow growing variety with broad variegated leaves. Acer pseudoplatanus Variegated – Fast growing variegated cultivar. Acer pseudoplatanus Whorley – Brightly coloured foliage in the summer. Planting ---- Seed storage This species has no dormancy requirement, however germination rates do increase after a period of stratification. A treatment of 40°F in moist soil for 2-3 months is suitable. Propagation In a natural environment, this species can produce suckers from roots after a tree has fallen. However most new trees are produced from the dispersed seeds. Seeds are naturally dispersed during the spring, and seeds should be sown at this time. Germination can take up to 2 weeks, and seedlings can be transplanted from the tray to pots after a couple of months. Soil Tolerant of extremely poor soil conditions. Light This gap colonising species employs shade avoidance strategies. It can put on large amounts of annual growth in shaded environments, and can have large leaves in a woodland environment. However a semi-mature tree requires full sunlight to thrive properly. Water Prefers moist, well drained soil Wind exposure Tolerant of regular exposure to strong winds Elevation/altitude # Site suitability Due to its tolerance of wind, pollution and salt, it is a popular choice as a street tree in cities, along roadsides, and in coastal areas. Forestry use Sometimes grown as a simple firewood or timber crop. In terms of management, sycamore crops must be regularly maintained to prevent suckers and self-seeded trees competing with the main crop, particularly at the edge of each block. Self-seeded trees will cause existing trees to elongate growth in competition, reducing the quality of the timber. Weed competition Weed competition is not a major concern due to the accelerated growth rate of this species in high-competition areas. Growth ---- Growth rate Very fast growing, particularly in shaded environments such as woodlands, where shade avoidance strategies results in elongated growths. Root depth/width # Canopy type A broad domed crown, often wider than it is tall. Co-dominance and multi-stemmed trees are fairly common. Pruning ---- Timing Best pruned in Late Summer or Early Autumn. There is potential for bleeding to occur from wounds if pruned in the Spring. Tolerance Sycamore is very tolerant of pruning, due to the abundance of axillary and dormant buds. Pollarding Very tolerant of pollarding, many ancient specimens are lapsed pollards. Be sure to inspect pollard points for decay when repollarding. Coppicing Can be coppiced, but trees may tend to produce growth from suckers rather than from the stump. Other options (espaliers etc.) # Associated Pests and Diseases ---- Insects Drepanosiphum platanoides Fungi Armillaria mellea Dendrothele acerina Rhytisma acerinum (tar spot) Cristulariella depraedans Bacteria # Virus' # Mammals # Other issues i.e. subsidence/limb shedding # Timber ---- Properties The wood is very smooth and white, with a straight fine grain. The wood is non-durable in terms of untreated decay resistance. Usage Has traditionally been used for making violins, spoons, furniture and veneers. Applications Also used for Veneer, paper (pulpwood), boxes, crates/pallets, musical instruments, turned objects, and other small speciality wood items. Firewood qualities Burns with a good flame, with moderate heat. Useless green. Historical use # Fruit ---- Food Food info Recipes Recipes info Medicine Medicine info Cultivation + Harvesting strategies Cultivation + harvesting info Cultural Associations and Historical Use ---- Food n/a Medicine n/a Foliage as browse # Religion # Social recognition It is often regarded as a weed species in the UK due to its aggressive growth speed and self-seeding propagation strategy. Heavy thickets of sycamore can develop in unwanted land, and can be difficult to eradicate. Sycamore is often associated with damaging structures after self-seeded plants are left unchecked for a period of time. It is also considered to be invasive in Australia and New Zealand, where it has naturalised in forests and suppresses the population of native species. Species Natural History ---- Distribution Native to Northern Europe. Introduction to UK It has been suggested that sycamore has been present in the UK since the Bronze Age. However official introduction was in 1487. It is currently classed as a neophyte, as it is naturalised in the UK, but arrived with humans around or after 1500. Discovery # Notable specimens See a variety of notable specimens listed here: http://www.monumentaltrees.com/en/trees/ Largest recorded sizes Girth – 9m – Wamberg, Germany Height – 42.5m – Ribeauville, France Age – 614 (± 100 y) Vestonovice, Czech Republic Notable failures # Value as habitat Sycamore can act as one of few food sources in urban environments, drawing large numbers of aphids to their leaves. These in turn attract bird species such as house martens (Delichon urbica). The decomposition of leaf material also boosts earthworm populations. The flowers provide early pollen for bumblebees, and a number of moths and other insects depend on the tree. Sycamore provides shelter and nesting and roosting sites where few other trees can survive. Useful Links http://www.cabi.org/isc/?compid=5&dsid=2884&loadmodule=datasheet&page=481&site=144 – Invasive species compendium http://www.hort.uconn.edu/plants/a/acepse/acepse1.html http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acer_pseudoplatanus http://www.mendocinomaples.com/index.php?crn=227 information on cultivars and varieties http://apps.rhs.org.uk/plantselector/plant?plantid=601 http://www.treeregister.org/pdf/Champion%20Trees%20native%20species%20May%202011.pdf www.firewood.co.uk/heating-qualities/‎ http://www.wood-database.com/lumber-identification/hardwoods/sycamore-maple/ http://www.monumentaltrees.com/en/trees/acerpseudoplatanus/records/ http://www.britishhardwood.co.uk/acer-pseudoplatanus-sycamore/72/ http://forestry.about.com/od/tree_seed/p/Collecting-And-Preparing-A-Sycamore-Seed-For-Planting.htm http://eol.org/pages/583073/overview – Encyclopedia of life entry Other Resources BOOKS INFO Rushforth, K. (1999). Trees of Britain and Europe. Collins ISBN 0-00-220013-9. Mitchell, A. F. (1974). A Field Guide to the Trees of Britain and Northern Europe. Collins ISBN 0-00-212035-6 Blamey, M. & Grey-Wilson, C. (1989). Flora of Britain and Northern Europe. ISBN 0-340-40170-2 Collins complete guide to British trees, Paul Sterry Illustrated trees of Britain and Europe, David more, John white Field guide to the trees and shrubs of Britain – readers digest The pruning of trees, shrubs and conifers – George E. Brown and Tony Kirkham